Introduction To The Preventive Maintenance Program

Objectives What is the preventive maintenance program? Who is eligible to participate? What are the benefits to owners and residents? What is involved in participation?

What is the Preventive Maintenance Program? In 1997 the North Carolina General Assembly adopted the Childhood Lead Exposure Control Act establishing a new voluntary preventive maintenance program (PMP). The PMP is designed to reduce childhood lead exposure in pre-1978 rental housing. The PMP is primary prevention!

Participation is Voluntary! Owners of pre-1978 residential property are eligible to participate. Owners of property identified as a potential source of childhood lead poisoning are also eligible to participate. The following are not eligible: Child occupied facilities Child day care facilities Schools Determined by the department

Benefits of Participation –Protect children from exposure to lead-based paint hazards –Liability relief from lead poisoning litigation –Market property as lead-safe with a certificate of compliance –Free use of High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuums –Discounts on building materials and paint supplies at local businesses –Training for maintenance workers at no cost

Participation Annual lead-safe maintenance activities: - Repair and repaint areas of deteriorated paint - Pre-1950’s property must also: –Address exterior areas –Cover bare soil areas within 3 ft. of the foundation – Adjust doors and windows –Make interior surfaces smooth and easy to clean Use specialized cleaning to remove lead dust Provide occupants with EPA information –Summaries of lead inspection reports – Verify compliance by having a certified lead inspector or risk assessor conduct a visual inspection and collect dust samples for analysis

Safe Work Practices For Interior Surfaces –Use safe work practices to avoid creating lead-based paint hazards –Use safe work practices to prevent the spread of lead dust. Limit work access to work area for workers only. Cover area with 6 ml polyethylene plastic or equivalent. Protect Occupant’s belongings. Wet surfaces before disturbing. Wet debris before sweeping. Thoroughly clean the work area of lead contaminated dust.

Prohibited Practices - DO NOT use the following unsafe paint removal practices : –Stripping on-site with methylene chloride-based solutions –Open flame burning –Heating paint above 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit –Power sanding or sandblasting (unless you use a special vacuum attachment to contain dust) –Water blasting/abrasive blasting –Dry scraping

Disclosure - Provide lead-based paint (LBP) hazard information to tenants per title X including the EPA-developed educational pamphlet and any information available about LBP or LBP hazards specific to the unit.

Owners must : - Post written notices to tenants asking them to report deteriorating paint within 72 hours of discovery and letting them know who to contact; and, - notify the department and occupants three days prior to commencing maintenance, renovation, or remodeling activities that occur after a certificate of compliance is issued. Reporting

Maintenance Staff Your maintenance staff must have proper training. At a minimum, maintenance supervisors need to complete a training course based on HUD/EPA operations and maintenance/ interim control activities. The maintenance supervisor should ensure that all workers either complete a training course or have a clear understanding of LBP hazards, unsafe practices, occupant protection, and dust cleanup methods.

Maintenance Staff need to: - Correct conditions in which painted surfaces are rubbing, binding, or being damaged to protect the integrity of the paint and to prevent the generation of lead dust. Examples of this include re-hanging binding doors, installing doorstops to prevent doors from damaging painted surfaces, and reworking windows. - Cover or restrict access to bare soil (unless it is found not to be lead contaminated). In most cases, covering lead-contaminated bare soil with mulch or sod is an effective control method. Maintenance

Dust Sampling Certified Lead Inspectors must perform sufficient dust tests to ensure safety. Dust tests of the work area should be performed after maintenance activities are completed in any unit occupied by a family with a child under six or a pregnant woman if more than a minimum amount of paint is disturbed.

- Smooth horizontal surfaces as much as possible. Examples include: -recoating hardwood floors with polyurethane -replacing or recovering worn out linoleum floors - treating interior window sills and capping window troughs with vinyl or aluminum. - Perform specialized cleaning to remove lead dust.

PMP Annual Monitoring Two main phases Visual examination Environmental sampling for dust Dust Sampling Certified Lead Inspectors must perform sufficient dust test to ensure safety. Dust tests of the work area should be performed after any maintenance activities are completed.

Visual Examination Determines the adequacy of lead hazards controls and whether work was completed as specified. Inspector must -Be aware of the project’s history -Have a keen eye for detail -Keep good records

Edgecombe-Nash Preventive Maintenance Program Edgecombe County Health Dept. 107 Atlantic Ave. Rocky Mount, NC Beverly Baldinger Program Coordinator Certified Risk Assessor/ Lead Inspector